ISLAMABAD: In a surprise, Top US diplomat again strongly criticised ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor CPEC Project.
Senior US diplomat Alice Wells on Tuesday renewed criticism ofChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), impliedly urging Islamabad torethink its involvement with it.
Amb Wells’ speech at a think tank event, which was attended by members ofacademia and representatives of civil society, criticised the flagshipproject of China’s One Belt One Road Initiative.
She alleged that there was no transparency in CPEC projects, claimingPakistan’s debt burden was growing due to the Chinese financing.Ad
While her arguments looked like a repeat of the remarks she had earlierdelivered at the Wilson Centre in Washington on Nov 21, 2019, the claimswere renewed during her Islamabad trip a few days after Foreign MinisterShah Mehmood Qureshi sought closer engagement and a robust trade andinvestment relationship between Pakistan and the US.
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FM Qureshi had sought help from the US to get the country off the FinancialAction Task Force (FATF) grey list.
While reiterating the allegations against CPEC, Amb Wells said companiesblacklisted by the World Bank had got contracts in the CPEC.
